Improvement in feed-cutters



dotted tant geen ont.

CABLES R. DONNER, OF SONORA, CALIFORNIA'.

Letters Patent No. 108,118, dated October 11, 1870.

IMPRUVEMENT IN FEED-CUTTERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same- To all whom tt may concern Bc it known that I, CABLES R. DONNER, of Sonora, in the county of Tuolumne and State of Galiforna, have invented an improved Feed-cutting Box; and I do hereby declare the-following description and accompanying drawing are suficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and-use my said invention or improvement, without further invention or experiment.

My inventiourelates to improvements in cuttingboxes for chopping straw and other fibrous substances, to be used principally for feeding horses and cattle; and v i It, consists in placing at the end of the box a bal- 'ance-.wheel, which revolves ou a shaft running pai'- allel to the sides of the box.

The knife which cuts the straw orother substance is attached to one of the arms of,l the balance-wheel, and :is carried around with it, ciittiugthe straw between the knife and the cutting-edge ofthe box.

The straw passes under a roller in the box, and is fed to the'knives by teeth, which, by apeculiar mechanism is caused to move it forward at each revolution of the balance-wheel and bring it under the knife.

In order to better illustrate my said invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification ot' which*- ltigure l is an end view.

Figure 2 is a top view.

Figure 3 is a side view. v

Similar letters of reference in each of the figures indicate like parts.

` A is the cutting-box, of the usual form, having the' bottom B and two sides, C and C.

Attached to the end of a shaft, D, ruiming parallel vto the sides of the box, is a balance-wheel, E, standing at right angles to the end ot' the box.`

The wheel E is provided with arms a. a a., which may be either straight or curved; but I prefer having them curved, for reasons which will be hereafter explained.

The knife li, which cuts the hay, straw, or other substance, as it is fed to it, is attached to oneof these arms, so that, as the armbegins to descend, the straw will be caught between the point of the knife nearest the hub, and the square cutting-edge of a metal plate, G, which is attached to the bottom of the box, will out toward the opposite side of the box as it descends, giving a drawing as well as-a cutting motion, which greatly facilitates the work.

'The knife It1 can be removed at pleasure, and will very seldom require sharpening, as the contact of the two cutting-edges will tend'to keep it sharp.

The shaft D turns in boxes b l1', secured to the side of the box, and has at its opposite end a cylinder, I, provided with a groove, e, in which the end of an arm, d, ofthe shaft K moves, the groove in thecylinder forming a cam, which operates the shaft.

rl`he shaft K has two curved'armS, g g, which ex# tends forward toward the front eudof the box, and to which is secured a 'metal bar,'L, having short arms at each end, which are secured to the ends of the arms At each end of the bar L isa short axle, which turns in the cdd of a rod, 71, the opposite end of which turns on a holt, t', which passes through the side of thc box. l

This vbolt passes through a vertical slot in the side, so that the end of the bar h may be-raised or lowered when desired.

To the lower side ofthe metal bar L a plate, l, having the teeth u n, is attached `by set-screws p p, by which it is raised andlowered, so as to bring the teeth nearer to or further from thebottoin ofthe box.

The. end of the arm d which operates in the groove or camis provided with a small friction-roller, o'.

The straw, or-other fibrous substance which it is desired to cut, is first placed lengthwise in the box under the roller 1t, Aand so that the teeth on theplate P, as it descends, will catcli the straw and throw it forward under the knife.

As the` shaft D revolves, the arm il follows the groove or cam, and causes the shaft K to make a partial revolution, thus raising the bar L, and colisequeutly the plate I), with its teeth, the bar 7i, drawing them toward the rear of the box. As the revolution of the shaft D is completed, the shalt K moves back to its former position, lowering the plate I, the bar h giving it a thrust forward, which causesithe teeth to move Vthe straw under the knife. i

By this meaus I have' a box foi-cutting feed that will feed itself, all that is necessary being to place the straw in the box and turn the wheel. The knife which cutsthe straw will not often require sharpening, as its Contact with the steel plate on the box will tend to keep it ingood condition.

Having thus described my invention,

What] claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The conibinatiou, with the shaft- K, having the arms g g and the arm (I, working in the groove or cam c, of the bar L, rods h, and adjustable toothed plate P, when arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose described.`

OAR-LES lt. DONNER. [In s] Witnesses:

CHARLES Bronnen,

J. J. WAGNER. 

